The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-12

forms all over the ship at the same
time, until at noon, when the pipes
sound "belay all. - and everybody goes
to dinner. fully one-half Of the work is
done. and done well.
During the morning had been
watching Charley Beeston, whenever l
got chance and / observed that he
was stationed in the maintop. He
seemed very anxious to do his duty,
and worked hard. but his classmates
ridiculed him numerically, because he
would keep hold of something with one
hand all the time he was aloft, leaving
only one hand to work with.
Soon after noticed this, one of the
lieutenants saw it. too, and without
the slightest regard for the boys new
ness in sailor ways, sung out, grufly:
"Mainyard therci'
Sir" returned the first classman in
the top.
Tell that youngster to let go Of the
shroud and go to work with both
hands; we don't want any idler's
here.
When this thoughtless order was re-
peated to Charley, ] fully expected a
remonstrance, but not a word did he
say but the already familiar "Ay,.ny,
sir" and simply obeyed.
He lost his balance several times be-
fore we were pipcd to dinner, but al
though each time he flushed painfully.
he gave no other sign. but went bravely
on with his work Of passing up the
heavy rigging for the topmast, and I
said to an old sailor who stood near
me coiling down rope: That boy
has pluck, by George! and that's more
than | can say for half Of those young
dogs who are guying him"
''He has that SIR" said the man;
''you oughter hev seen him last night
when they cut down his hammock and
he'd like to hey broke his head on the
deck Ho just got up and said moth
ing, but saw that in his eye that
made them scamps sneak off without
even the laugh they we're after"
BY eight bells that afternoon, or as
they say on shore, four o'clock, al
though a storm was brewing and it
blew hard, we had every thing up ex-
cept the main top-gallant mast which,
as you must know, is the uppermost of
the three separate sticks Of which the
mast is composed.
They were making a new one for us
in the carpenters shop on shore. 1t
came off just as one bell struck (half-
past foul), and the main top men were
sent aloft to receive it, Charley among
them.
The rest of the men were on deck,
which was consequently rather crowd
ed. coiling down ropes, unlocking the
great block which we were through
with, and sending them below, and
making things generally ship-shape.
Within q few minutes the mast-rope
which was to be used in hosting the
heavy timber was rove off, as the
sailors say, through the block up aloft
and through big block on deck, with
the hauling part laid along the deck all
ready.
The wind had risen by this time so
that halls from aloft were hardly audi
BILE on deck, and the men had just be-
gun to haul away on the rope. when
Charley came down on deck to say
that some Of the~lo topmast rigging
was afoul Of the mast-rope, and to be-
lay the rope till they could clear it.
He stood by the rail as he delivered
his message, and the sailors Immediate
ly took couple Of turns with the rope
around Delaying pin near the block
through which it passed. The mast
already swayed some fifty or sixty feet
high in the air. directly over knot OF
men engaged at the foot of the main.
mast
Whether the rope slipped or the be.
laying pin. which though large was
Of wood, broke, never could tell. but
as turned my head to look aloft al
the mast, heard aloud exclamation
behind me, accompanied. rather than
followed, by the noise Of a rope run.
ming through a block; and at the same
instant the heavy mass swayed slightly,
then plunged downward.
The doom of the poor fellows be-
meath it seemed sealed.
was fairly paralyzed, but in the
same moment boyish voice, firm anc
strong, rang out behind me: STAND
from under!'' and then there was Z
dull. crushing sound. 1t all passed in
a single instant. so quickly that die
not have time to think. much less t.
turn, but saw the mast stop. not more
than ten feet above the heads of the
men below it, as they sprang lightly t.
one side--saved!
And Charley? Hc lay little heaI
on the deck, by the block, still ant
pale. his eyes closed, and blood spat
tered on his face.
| He had seized the rope and thrus
his hand into the block to save them!
His wrist was torn SO that you coult
see the bone; his fingers, when they
were extracted from the cruel block
were twisted into all conceivabl,
shapes, and literally mashed, almos
as nat AS this paper. A1sl
We carried him tenderly below snt
the surgeon amputated his hand at tn
wrist after which he was sent still
UNCONSCIOUS. on shore to the hospital.
The shock was so severe that it wa
many weeks before he was able to leav,
his bed and go home, but knew befor
what everybody knew now, that he wa
hero.
If he thinks as / would--if hat
nerve enough to do such a thing. whicl
l have not-the pain at the loss Of hi
best hand will always be far more thai
counterbalanced by the sweet though
Of those lives saved. e. E. Clement, u
Youths Companion
1 Hints to Young Writer'S.
Ca1ler(in newsunner officel -Twanty